AECIT - Asociación Española de Expertos Científicos en Turismo

What AECIT - Asociación Española de Expertos Científicos en Turismo does

AECIT (Asociación Española de Expertos Científicos en Turismo) is a private non-profit professional association founded in 1994 in Spain, operating with approximately 8 employees from offices in Palma de Mallorca (general secretariat at the Universitat de les Illes Balears) and Madrid (journal editorial base). The organization serves as the central scientific community for Spanish tourism academics, researchers, and industry professionals, addressing the fragmentation of tourism science by providing peer-reviewed publication venues, structured professional development, and recurring convening platforms. Its core product is the Journal of Tourism Analysis: Revista de Análisis Turístico (JTA), a peer-reviewed open-access academic journal published since 2006 on Open Journal Systems (OJS 3.5.0.3), indexed in Scopus and 10+ international databases, with semiannual issues accepting Spanish, English, and Portuguese submissions. The association runs the XXIV edition of its annual scientific congress series, the XXVIII convocatoria of the Tribuna FITUR – Jorge Vila Fradera research award (in collaboration with FITUR/IFEMA), and the AECIT Tourism Awards program.

AECIT's revenue model is diversified across four streams: membership dues (annual fees via its 'Afíliate' portal), course and training fees (notably the €2,200 Experto en Revenue Management program co-offered with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos with STR international certification), congress and event fees (annual congresses, technical jornadas at FITUR, doctoral workshops, thematic forums), and journal publishing operations (open access, no author fees, with indirect revenue through institutional partnerships and indexing relationships). Customer segments are primarily Spanish tourism researchers and academics (university professors, doctoral students, scientific experts), with secondary segments of tourism industry professionals seeking specialized credentials (e.g., Revenue Management) and early-career researchers. Go-to-market is community-led, with member acquisition through the website, university partnerships (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Universidad Camilo José Cela), word-of-mouth within the Spanish tourism academic community, and presence at FITUR and annual congresses.

The association has no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no equity capitalization — it is member-governed under its own board. Strategic partnerships form the principal vector of capability extension: the URJC collaboration has trained 700+ professionals in Revenue Management over 17+ years, the STR (CoStar) partnership adds international credentialing, and the historic Emerald partnership (2018-2020) contributed to the journal's Scopus indexing achieved in 2020. Recent expansion signals include entry into AI literacy courses, gastronomic tourism workshops, and nautical tourism forums, suggesting a gradual broadening of the association's curriculum and event portfolio within the Spanish tourism research ecosystem.

Name

AECIT - Asociación Española de Expertos Científicos en Turismo

Legal name

ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA DE EXPERTOS CIENTÍFICOS EN TURISMO

Website

https://aecit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AECIT is a Spanish non-profit professional association founded in 1994 that serves tourism researchers, academics, and industry professionals through a Scopus-indexed open-access journal, an annual congress series, research awards, and specialized training programs in partnership with Spanish universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services (Tourism Research)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAANAL

Sustainability Training, Consulting & ESG Advisory (Operational Playbooks, Staff Training)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Sustainable Tourism Solutions (Eco-friendly Accommodations, Carbon Offset Programs)

Keywords

• Tourism research association
• Academic journal publishing
• Professional development tourism
• Tourism scientific congresses
• Membership association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Palma de Mallorca

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: AECIT generates revenue through annual membership fees. Prospective members join via the 'Afíliate' portal on the association's website (https://aecit.org/afiliacion-a-la-aecit/posts/320/). Membership provides access to publications, congresses, networking events, professional development, and RSC activities.
2. Course and Training Fees: Revenue from professional development courses such as the Experto en Revenue Management (online, 115 hours/11.5 ECTS) priced at €2,200 with installment payment option. AECIT co-offers scholarships for these programs in partnership with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
3. Congress and Event Fees: Revenue generated from the annual AECIT Congress series (currently at the XXIV edition), technical jornadas, workshops, and other events. Events include congresses, the FITUR technical sessions, doctoral workshops, and thematic forums.
4. Journal Publishing Operations: The Journal of Tourism Analysis (JTA) operates on an open access model with no author fees (no cost for submission or publication). Revenue may derive indirectly through institutional partnerships, sponsorships, and international indexing relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AECIT is a non-profit professional association that delivers membership services to tourism researchers, academics, and industry professionals. Its core offerings include the Scopus-indexed Journal of Tourism Analysis: Revista de Análisis Turístico (peer-reviewed open access journal published since 2006), an annual congress series (XVIII–XXIV editions), research awards including the Tribuna FITUR – Jorge Vila Fradera prize and AECIT Tourism Awards, and professional development programs such as the Experto en Revenue Management course co-offered with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.

Product overview

AECIT (Asociación Española de Expertos Científicos en Turismo) is a professional association of scientific experts in tourism founded in 1994. The organization operates primarily as an academic and professional network rather than a software product company. Its core offerings include the Journal of Tourism Analysis: Revista de Análisis Turístico (JTA) — an open-access peer-reviewed academic journal published since 2006 using Open Journal Systems software, indexed in Scopus — and a series of annual congresses (XVIII through XXIV editions) for tourism researchers. AECIT also manages research awards including the Premio Tribuna FITUR – Jorge Vila Fradera (XXVIII edition), the Premios AECIT de Turismo, and publishes the official Boletín AECIT newsletter. Educational offerings include a Revenue Management Expert certification program developed in partnership with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, along with specialized jornadas on research projects and new technologies applied to tourism. The association focuses on research promotion, knowledge dissemination, professional development, networking, and responsible management in the tourism sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Journal of Tourism Analysis: Revista de Análisis Turístico (JTA): Academic peer-reviewed open access journal published by AECIT since 2006, covering tourism research from a holistic and multidisciplinary approach.

Products and services

• Journal of Tourism Analysis: Revista de Análisis Turístico (JTA) An academic, peer-reviewed, open-access journal contributing to scientific knowledge on tourism from a holistic and multidisciplinary approach. Published by AECIT since 2006, indexed in Scopus and 10+ international databases, and publishing 2 issues per annum with theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and empirical research for tourism researchers and academics.
• AECIT Annual Congress Series (Congresos AECIT)
• Tribuna FITUR – Jorge Vila Fradera Research Award A prestigious annual research competition organized by FITUR (IFEMA) with AECIT's collaboration, recognizing original and unpublished tourism research works. Entering its XXVIII edition, it targets tourism researchers, academics, and doctoral candidates across the Spanish-speaking world.
• AECIT Tourism Awards (Premios AECIT de Turismo) AECIT's annual tourism awards program recognizing excellence in tourism research and practice, including the AECIT Research Article Award (currently in its 10th edition, 2025) and other categories. Targets AECIT members and affiliated tourism researchers.
• Experto en Revenue Management (URJC-AECIT) An online expert certification program in Revenue Management delivered by Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in collaboration with AECIT, comprising 115 hours of instruction and 11.5 ECTS credits. Includes STR (CoStar Group) international certification with an industry-recognized diploma and professional credential. Targets tourism and hospitality industry professionals.
• AECIT Research Project Jornadas (Jornadas AECIT de Proyectos de Investigación en Turismo) Research project jornadas providing opportunities for tourism researchers to present projects, discuss joint research ideas, licensing agreements, funding opportunities, internationalization, and technology transfer. Targets tourism researchers and academics seeking collaboration.
• AECIT Technical Sessions at FITUR (Jornadas Técnicas AECIT en FITUR) Technical conference series organized by AECIT within the FITUR international tourism fair in Madrid, featuring updates and presentations on tourism science topics. Co-located with the Tribuna FITUR award ceremony and serving as a key annual touchpoint for member engagement and brand visibility.
• Boletín AECIT Official newsletter of the association serving as a communication tool with members and for knowledge dissemination among the tourism scientific community. Targets AECIT members and the broader Spanish tourism research community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 professionals trained in Revenue Management through the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos partnership since the program's inception over 17 years ago
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Universidad Camilo José Cela (UCJC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026AECIT received a formal invitation from UCJC to have its members attend the 'Alma Marinera y Geopolítica' Forum held at UCJC's Campus de Almagro in Madrid. The forum is organized by UCJC's Cátedra de la Mar and co-organized with several maritime organizations.
• Real Liga Naval EspañolaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-organizer of the 'Alma Marinera y Geopolítica' Forum alongside UCJC and other partners. Dr. Juan Díaz Cano, president of the Real Liga Naval Española, moderates one of the forum's round tables.
• Clúster Marítimo EspañolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-organizer of the 'Alma Marinera y Geopolítica' Forum alongside UCJC, Real Liga Naval Española, and AECIT.
• Universidad Rey Juan CarloscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and AECIT collaborate on the Experto en Revenue Management professional development program. AECIT co-offers two €1,100 scholarships per year for this course, targeting AECIT members who are tourism researchers and professors. This partnership addresses the need for specialized Revenue Management instruction in Spanish universities.
• Emerald Group PublishingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018From 2018 to 2020 (Vol. 25 to Vol. 27), the Journal of Tourism Analysis was edited and published in Bingley, United Kingdom, by Emerald Group Publishing Limited. This international collaboration enhanced the journal's international positioning and contributed to its eventual Scopus indexing in 2020. The collaboration concluded in 2021.
• IBERIAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016AECIT signed a commercial agreement with IBERIA providing a 10% discount on flights for all tickets booked through IBERIA.COM using promotional code AECIT2016. The discount applies to Iberia, Iberia Express, and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum flights. This partnership benefits congress attendees and association members traveling for AECIT events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AIEST - International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism: AIEST is the international counterpart to AECIT, founded in 1949, serving as the global scientific tourism research association. Both organizations convene tourism researchers, publish scientific work, and organize academic conferences, making AIEST the closest analogue to AECIT at the global level.
• ATLAS - Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research: ATLAS is a European-wide network of universities and research institutions focused on tourism and leisure education and research. It is directly comparable to AECIT as it similarly organizes academic conferences, supports tourism research, and serves faculty/researchers in the same scholarly community.
• International Academy for the Study of Tourism: The International Academy for the Study of Tourism is a global scholarly body of leading tourism researchers. It is directly comparable to AECIT in being a membership-based organization that advances tourism science through academic recognition and convening.

Broad incumbents

• World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): UNWTO is the United Nations specialized agency for tourism, operating at a much larger scale than AECIT but sharing the goal of advancing tourism knowledge, research, and policy. It is comparable as a global convener on tourism research and education, though its mandate and scope are far broader.
• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): WTTC represents the global travel and tourism private sector, producing influential research on tourism economic impact. It overlaps with AECIT's research dissemination role but operates at industry/economic level rather than scientific/academic level.
• IATA (International Air Transport Association): IATA is the global trade association for airlines, providing industry standards, training, and research. It is comparable to AECIT as a membership-based organization providing training and professional development in the broader tourism value chain.

Emerging players

• Phocuswright: Phocuswright is a leading travel industry research and events company producing market intelligence reports and conferences. It overlaps with AECIT in producing tourism research and convening industry/academic audiences, though Phocuswright is more commercially focused and globally scoped.
• Skift: Skift is a media and research company covering the travel and tourism industry with newsletters, research reports, and events. It overlaps with AECIT in producing tourism research and analysis, though Skift is a commercial media entity while AECIT is a non-profit scholarly association.

Regional players

• European Travel Commission (ETC): ETC is a European tourism promotion organization representing national tourism boards. It is comparable to AECIT as a regional tourism knowledge and research body, though ETC focuses on promotion while AECIT focuses on scientific research.
• Iberus - Red de Investigación en Turismo: Iberus and similar Spanish university tourism research networks collaborate on academic tourism research across Spanish universities. They are comparable to AECIT in being Spanish-focused academic tourism research collectives, though organized as university consortiums rather than membership associations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AECIT
• Facebookfacebook.com/AECIT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aecit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AECIT - Asociación Española de Expertos Científicos en Turismo